Solo Female Travel in Portland, Oregon

Looking to travel solo in Portland, Oregon? This guide is for you — and I’ll start with an anecdote from my life here.

Standing in line for coffee one morning, I noticed the straitlaced gentleman ahead of me was not a regular. When he approached the barista to place his order, I heard him say, “Forgive me, but I’m from out of town. What’s with all of the tattoos?”

Without a beat, the well-tattooed barista smiled warmly and said, “This is Portland. There’s no judgment here.” And proceeded to tell him the story behind his bodily adornments as he prepared his coffee.

From the very first day I landed in her hipster-friendly arms, I noticed the unique creative energy of the people here. With its reputation for outdoor recreation, cultural activities, and welcoming residents, I fell in love with Portland and knew it would be my home for a long time.

This post was written by Susan Stephens. Read more about her at the end of the post.

Why Travel Solo To Portland?

Portland has been my home for over twenty years. During that time, I’ve seen it grow from the southern shadow of Seattle to a major tourist destination. The Rose City is a living, breathing entity, alive with green spaces and communities full of creative people.

Portland’s motto is “Keep Portland Weird” and it tends to live up to that moniker (in a good way!) with its huge artistic community and ever-evolving music scene. 

For those who are familiar with the show Portlandia, I can tell you that in this instance, art really does imitate life! Portland is a lot like how the show portrays it. You may very well run into a Fred Armisen lookalike at a restaurant waxing philosophical about the well-being of the organically-grown chicken who made the ultimate sacrifice to grace his plate. 

The wonderful thing about Portland is that it’s a big city with a small-town feel. This is thanks in large part to its collection of diverse and eclectic neighborhoods – each with its own community. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, Portland will welcome you into her open arms and bring out your best self.

Is Portland Good for First-Time Solo Female Travelers?

Portlanders are a welcoming bunch, and with the ease of getting around and so many solo-centric things to do, Portland is…